This invention pertains to wearable articles such as clothing, backpacks, hats, and the like that include visual displays thereon, and more particularly, to such articles that include advertising and decorative displays that utilize lenticulars and that are provided with electroluminescent lamp illumination.
Conventional print advertising and packaging is accomplished by printing stationary non-moveable information and pictures on magazines, posters, billboards, signs, clothing, etc. A primary purpose of an advertisement is to attract the attention of the reader (customer) and convey the desired information.
In an effort to attract the customer's attention, various types of electrical signs have been installed, such as illuminated signs, including neon signs, illuminated billboards, marquees with moving messages, blinking lights, etc. Electrical signs, however, are often very costly, bulky, generate undesired heat, and are difficult to repair. Further, electrical signs are also not practical for packages, clothing, etc. It is, therefore, desirable to provide an improved display which overcomes most, if not all, of the preceding problems.
A lenticular display allows a viewer to perceive multiple images appearing individually within the same dimensional space or plane. A lenticular sheet is made from a plurality of parallel semi-cylindrical or hyperbolic shaped lenticules which serve as lenses or prisms having the same width. Underneath the lenticular sheet are two or more images broken up into a plurality of thin strips or columns which are interleaved to form a composite image. When the interleaved composite image is placed beneath a lenticular sheet, the lens refract the light differently for each spaced column so that each eye of the viewer is constantly viewing one of the interleaved images separately from the other eye viewing the other image to create a three dimensional lenticular image without the use of a separate viewing apparatus. As the person moves position relative to the device the image viewed repeatedly changes from one image to the other. Photosteroscopic lenticular images provide a three dimensional image without the use of a steroscopic viewers or the use of special glasses, so that each eye of a person views a slightly different image. Lenticulars can also be used to simulate animation and morphing affects such as zoom views of an image.
A common method of attaching the image to the lenticular is with the use of adhesives, however this configuration is undesirable in that it is prone to distortion of the image. Given that the plurality of lenticules have a focal point of a predetermined distance on the rear flat side of the lens where the image is mounted, an adhesive layer disposed between the lenticules and the image has an inherent thickness which increases the spacing of the image and lenticule beyond the predetermined focal point of the lenticules. This results in ghosting or crosstalk distortion between the images, which is a phenomenon that occurs when the viewer sees two or more images at the same time from a single viewpoint of a lenticular image. It is therefore important to have intimate contact between the lens and image for high quality images.
PCT publication WO 96/24490 discloses a lenticular decorative device for use in garments, wherein the lenticular is bonded to the garment with a pressure and temperature sensitive adhesive. While this reference overcomes the ghosting problems discussed above by printing directly onto the lenticular, this disclosure relies solely on ambient light to illuminate the image. As a result, the effectiveness of the display device is limited to conditions where sufficient ambient light is available, and directed towards the image. Such a limitation is particularly undesirable for a garment lenticular wherein the positioning of the lenticular, materials, and color of the garment itself may diminish the available ambient light.
In an effort to increase the visibility of the lenticular, US Patent Application Publication Nos. 20050111210, and 20050041414 disclose backlit lenticulars for use with a garment. Herein, an electroluminescent (“EL”) lamp is associated with the lenticular to form an assembly, which is affixed to the exterior of the garment with various types of fasteners. However, the fasteners disclosed are disadvantageous because they are subject to damage, and fail to provide a sufficient bond to withstand extended use. Further, a drawback of the use of EL lamps is that they are susceptible to moisture damage, and this can occur when the garment becomes wet such as from being in the rain or if a liquid is spilled on it.
Therefore, there is a need for new displays that provide less image distortion and that are illuminated while the EL lamps are protected from moisture, and provide an improved method for fastening the display to the garment. The present invention now addresses these needs and provides new displays for us in particular on wearable articles.